Worcester crash victim mourned by children

Michael Despin wore cutoff jean shorts with duct tape in the holes, sleeveless shirts and bandannas while out with his three then-young children. He just didn't care what people thought. The 48-year-old Saint-Gobain machinist was killed late Wednesday at Franklin and Grafton streets when, authorities said, a drunken driver slammed into his Ford pickup.

PHOTO/ T&G Staff/STEVE LANAVA

The red Audi driven by Adam Bard outside the Worcester police station yesterday.

Michael Despin wore cutoff jean shorts with duct tape in the holes, sleeveless shirts and bandannas while out with his three then-young children. He just didn't care what people thought.

But he did care about people. In fact, late Wednesday night it was that caring — in this case driving a co-worker home — that took him off his normal path home to 4 Rockwell St. and into the path of a man police said was driving drunk.

The 48-year-old Saint-Gobain machinist who couldn't dote enough on his grandsons was killed late Wednesday at Franklin and Grafton streets when, authorities said, a drunken driver slammed into his Ford pickup around 11:50 p.m.

“He was actually dropping a co-worker off from work. That's the reason why he was in that area,” Mr. Despin's oldest son, Michael Mandella, 30, said outside his father's home yesterday. “If he wasn't there he would have been on the highway home. Somebody asked him for a ride. That's just my father. If somebody asked him to do something, he's there.”

Police said the driver of the second vehicle, Adam Bard, 28, of 48 Water St., Worcester, faces various charges, notably motor vehicle homicide and drunken driving. He is also charged with speeding and driving to endanger.

According to a spokesman for District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr., Mr. Bard is being held without bail and is due for his first court appearance on Wednesday. His lawyer, Peter L. Ettenberg, has waived arraignment.

Police headed to the area of 18 Grafton St. and saw a red Audi A3 resting against the corner of the building at 18 Grafton St. Mr. Despin's pickup was flipped onto the driver's side, according to police.

“The preliminary investigation revealed that the Audi A3 was traveling north on Grafton Street toward the Washington Square rotary. The operator of the pickup truck was traveling west on Franklin Street,” police said in a news release. “As both vehicles entered the intersection, the Audi A3 struck the pickup truck on the driver's side causing the truck to reverse flip onto the driver's side.”

Before the crash police had been flagged down by a security guard at an apartment building at 48 Water St. The security guard told police a tenant had exited the elevator in the lobby of the building. The guard believed the man was drunk, police said.

“The male was escorted outside of the building and urinated on the sidewalk,” police said. “The guard stayed with the male who stated that he was waiting for a friend to pick him up. At this time, the security guard believed that he was getting a ride and went back into the lobby to continue his duties. The guard later observed the male enter a red Audi and drive away swerving all over the road.”

Police began looking for the Audi. About 15 minutes later police got a call from a concerned citizen in the area of Kelley Square. The person told police they saw a man get into an Audi and drive away with the driver's door open. The car jumped a curb and smashed into a parking meter and then sped away through a stop sign.

Mr. Mandella yesterday expressed his wish that Mr. Bard survives.

“My father wouldn't want him to die,” said Mr. Mandella, a series of candles flickering on the steps behind him. “He did kill my father, but I don't want him to die. He does deserve to pay for what he did, and that is inevitable.”

Prison would make the man responsible for the crash think daily about Mr. Despin and the pain he caused by this accident, said Mr. Mandella, whose mother died on Sept. 18 in Tennessee.

A tough dad who would embarrass his two sons and daughter by wearing the cutoff jean shorts in public, Mr. Despin wasn't the most open person while they were young, his children said.

“He was a little hard on us when we were kids, but he always wanted us to benefit, grow up and make sure he had the best for us,” said Patrick Despin, 25. “He was being a father.”

The Internal Revenue Service pulled money from Mr. Despin's wages when Patrick Despin was 15 or 16. It left $50 a week in Mr. Despin's paycheck. But he made things work and took care of his family. That was just the type of man he was, the children said.

“He's worked so hard to get where he is now,” Mr. Mandella said.

“It took him 47 years to get this house,” Patrick Despin added.

The birth of his first grandson, Gianni Mandella, now 3, changed Mr. Despin. He opened up, talked about his emotions and with a big grin made his children laugh. About a month ago Mr. Mandella had his second son, Vincenzo, another grandson for his dad to spoil.

Trying to explain the death of Grampy to little Gianni hasn't been easy. The little boy pushed his skateboard around the front steps of his grandfather's home as family and friends gathered yesterday. They would have celebrated Mr. Despin's birthday next month.

“I'm sure there are going to be days where he is going to want to come to Grampy's and ride his four-wheeler,” Mr. Mandella said, wiping away tears. “My father would just show up and take him for the weekend. I wanted my dad to be a part of his life. I didn't want to force my son on him. Like a champ, he stepped right up.”

The children talked about their father's love of Ford-made cars and his beloved Mustang. Stephanie Despin, 22, recalled a recent grooming mishap with her dad, and the memory brought out a large grin underneath her glasses.

Her dad tried to groom his eyebrows and cut off a little too much. Mr. Despin decided to shave his head, face and eyebrows. Stephanie Despin then drew the role of grooming her father's eyebrows.

Mr. Despin's children don't believe he suffered when he died.

They took some comfort in that. They have nothing but respect and appreciation for how he raised them.

It wasn't rare for Mr. Despin to care for his friends. He would step up and help out whenever asked, his children said. Driving a friend home, well, that was just their father.

“If somebody needed something, he was always there,” Mr. Mandella said. “That is the hardest part about this.”